


silent night, holy night

by ImJustPassingThrough



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Christmas, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Lights, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Family Dynamics, First Kiss, Getting to Know Each Other, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Ryan Bergara In Love, Ryan Bergara Loves Shane Madej, Shane Madej Is So Whipped, Shane Madej Loves Ryan Bergara, Sneaking Around, They Never Hated Each Other, Unspoken Feud
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:15:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28097538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImJustPassingThrough/pseuds/ImJustPassingThrough
Summary: The Madej and Bergara family have an unspoken Christmas Light Feud every year. Ryan notices the Madej's youngest son hide out in the backyard one chilly December night, and so goes to check him.
Relationships: Ryan Bergara/Shane Madej
Comments: 8
Kudos: 67





	silent night, holy night

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Silent Night

Lights lit up the house, and the house next door. The entire block was calm, with subtle lights, and aesthetically pleasing Christmas decorations, ones that Ryan could appreciate and enjoy, he wished he could have that, a calm Christmas, with lovely decorations. But no, what does he get? Three trees, all with multicoloured, and miss-matched lights, with old and new ornaments of different colours and shapes, angels that hung around the room, with tinsel, and too many damn mistletoe bunches hanging around, large signs greeting Santa and a large fake snowman outside, and on top of the house, a large Santa Clause. Stockings surrounded the house, and a wreath on the door, and fake, red hollies on the fire place. He's been forced to wear a Christmas jumper everyday in December so far.

And what was with the excessive Christmas decorations and clothes? Ryan had been there when the feud picked up, but it started a few years before hand. Yeah, a feud to out Christmas the other family. All he knows about the neighbour family is that they're called the Madej Family, and that they had too many Christmas decorations as well, if not more. He thinks they have more as his parents have already started putting up more decorations that looks like Santa himself just barfed up. He also knows the family have two boys, both older then him, but the youngest is only by a few years. The youngest is in the last grade of high school, so eighteen, he knows that. He also knows the family has started to wear Christmas clothes to one up the Bergara's.

Ryan took off his jumper for the night, and changed into his pyjamas, a simple white loose fitted shirt and loose checkered pants. Even his room was decked out with Christmas things, and he hated it, it's not like the Madej's are spying on him. He lay in bed, and got out his Goosebumps book and began to read, the house was now silent, the lights still on, as was the Madej's. He glanced up, rubbing his tired eyes, before noticing a tall silhouette sneak out of the Madej household. Ryan swung his legs off his Christmas themed bed and poked his head out his window, watching as the tall figure relax at the back of the yard, shivering against the cold air, stood in blue pants, and a matching blue shirt.

Ryan realised this was one of the Madej kids, but was unsure of which. He shook his head and got back in bed, trying to ignore his moral compass to help, he thought he was doing well but soon found himself tapping his index finger against his arm. He rolled his eyes and got up, pulling on his slippers, wrapping a blanket around him, and got another one, this one much larger. He tiptoed down stairs, making sure to skip the third step from the bottom as it creaks, then made his way to the back door, and opened it quietly. He slowly went out, quietly, feet crunching in the snow. He pulled over the bench to where the male was stood, and climbed on it, looking over the tall, Christmas light decorated fence. He looked over the male, and noticed he wasn't even wearing slippers or shoes. He was tall, and had lovely brown eyes, with soft, brown hair.

Ryan leaned on the fence, "hey." Th male looked up, eyes wide in shock at being caught, and then a flicker of recognition. So, Ryan continued, "you look cold, so I brought a blanket for you." Ryan waved the blanket.

The teenager frowned, and squinted at it, "is there a Christmas thing on it?" He asked, warily.

Ryan shook his head, "just a plain blanket, white and... I think a tag..." He handed it over, "take it, you look cold."

The boy gently took it, long white fingers brushing over Ryan's tanned fingers, he inspected it, and true to Ryan's word, there was nothing to do with Christmas on. Just white with a label on. The boy wrapped the blanket around his shoulders, and took a shaky breath, his breath fogging around him from the cold air, "thank you..." He trailed off.

"Ryan." Ryan smiled, and held out a hand.

The boy smiled back warily, and shook Ryan's hand, "well, I've finally met my rival... Shane Madej."

"Nice to meet you." Ryan grinned, and took his hand back once they finished shaking hands, "what you doing out here?"

Shane sighed, "getting away from all," he waved his hand at his house that looked like Christmas threw up on it, "that." He hissed out in distaste. "What about you?"

"Saw you coming out, and saw how cold you was, so I came out..." Ryan shrugged, like it was a normal thing.

Shane smiled, "well thank you..."

It fell silent between them, they were supposed to be 'enemies' of some kind, and they never met each other before hand. They just stared blankly at their respected houses in disdain. Ryan glanced to Shane, "you know, I don't even like Christmas..."

Shane blinked, his eyes wide and he began laughing, and he wheezed, "what holiday do you like?" He wheezed out.

"Halloween." Ryan said with a grin.

Shane smiled, "wish they didn't skip over Halloween..." His voice was fond, and Ryan could tell he too liked Halloween.

"You're kidding. They did Halloween, they'd find a way to make us hate it." Ryan grinned.

"Oh god, yeah. Another holiday to battle about." Shane chuckled, and looked at Ryan, "you're fifteen, right?"

Ryan sighed, shoulders slouched, and nodded, "yep. Don't need to remind me I'm younger than you."

"Hey, it's not too bad little guy!" Shane grinned, he opened his mouth to talk but Ryan suddenly ducked behind the fence, making Shane frown.

"Shane darling!" Ryan looked through a hole in the fence, and watched Shane look over to see his mother, Sherry walking over, cardigan around her, "what are you doing out here?"

Shane rolled his eyes, "just getting some fresh air..."

Sherry wrapped an arm around his shoulder, "well, come on darling, you're freezing."

Shane walked with his Mom, and wrapped the blanket around his shoulder tightly. He glanced behind him, remembering Ryan, and saw the teenager. Ryan smiled and waved, and Shane smiled back, the door shutting as he walked in.

Ryan grinned, and put the bench back, and rushed back into his house, closing the door. He went back upstairs, preparing for tomorrow.

Of course, like most mornings, there was a hideous green Christmas sweater hanging on his door, with an gross, and slightly demonic Santa Clause knitted onto the front. He sighed, and got up, he got ready and sluggishly pulled on the hideous jumper. He walked out to see Jake in a similar jumper to him, and groaned quietly, picking up his bag. Jake looked just as embarrassed.

"Merry Christmas!" Linda, their mother, called out, smiling.

"Morning Mom..." The two sighed, slouching.

Ryan ended up rushing his food, so that way he could rush out, "alright, great! Cool! Gotta go, bye!" He sang, running out, toast stuffed in his mouth. He opened the door, and slammed it shut behind him, slouching against the door, sighing tiredly. He heard a door slam and looked to the neighbours, to see Shane in a similar position as him, pressed against the door sighing, in a hideous red jumper with Rudolph on. Shane glanced over, and caught Ryan's eyes. They looked to each others jumpers and then flashed each other and pain filled smile. They walked down the pathway, and in opposite directions to school.

Ryan honestly didn't expect to look out his bedroom window late that night to see Shane smiling, and waving his hand, pointing to where they stood the night before. Ryan nodded, smiling, holding up a finger. He pulled on slippers and wrapped a blanket around him, the poured two hot chocolates with a fake and marshmallow. He sneaked out, only to see Shane with a few homemade chocolate chip cookies, and a blanket. He smiled and walked over, noticing Shane was in a jumper, still no slippers, he shimmied the bench over, "still no slippers?"

Shane looked up, and Ryan stood on the bench, and smiled, shaking his head, "nope, no slippers..."

Ryan handed over a hot chocolate, "why not?"

Shane smiled taking the drink, "thank you... Uh, I don't know, I just never got any..." He handed over a few cookies.

Ryan took a few and smiled, "thanks. Do you want any?"

Shane shrugged, "it would be okay..."

"Well, you're gonna need slippers if we're to do this when it's cold out." Ryan grinned, nibbling the cookie, "holy shit, this is amazing..."

Shane sipped his coco, "did you make this?" He asked in awe.

Ryan grinned, "yeah, is it alright?"

"It's amazing..." Shane hummed, and sipped more. "You had a very lovely jumper on this morning..."

Ryan grimaced, "don't make me sick, it was awful..."

Shane wheezed, "our parents are just, _amazing_ aren't they?"

"Love 'em." Ryan winced.

Shane pushed over the blanket, "oh, here. I accidentally stole your blanket..."

"It's fine." Ryan smiled, taking the blanket.

The two met up every night with cookies and hot chocolate, and the two opened up to each other. Turns out Ryan believes in ghosts, demon, goatman, mothman, and Shane believes in science, aliens in a way but not exactly, and Bigfoot, but Ryan didn't believe that. A sceptic and a believer, an odd but cool friendship. Ryan's also a jock, basketball and a fitness nut, and Shane was a nerd, history and musicals. They did bond over crimes, they'd stay up late, watching crime investigations, either solved or unsolved, and would talk about theories.

Now Christmas Eve, the houses now completely Christmas-ed out, Shane and Ryan sneaked out, understanding that this night would have to be shorter. Again they stood in their usual spot.

"Hey Ry guy."

Ryan smirked, "hey Sasquatch." He lifted up his hands, and wiggled a box slightly, "got you a little something..."

Shane smirked, and held up a box too, "funny, got you something too!"

They exchanged presents, smiling. And Ryan jerked his head as if to say, _you first_. Shane smiled, and opened the present, and saw a shoe box, and he opened it to see red checkered slippers, and laughed, "thank you!" He wiped the snow off his feet and slipped them into the slippers, humming in content, "oh, that's warm! Thank you!" Shane looked up expectantly at Ryan, his turn!

Ryan opened the present and smiled, eyes lighting up, "Serial Killer Magazine?!"

"Volume one!" Shane wheezed, smiling.

"Thank you, Shane!" Ryan smiled, looking to Shane.

Shane smiled, "Merry Christmas, Ryan."

"Merry Christmas, Shane."

The two went to their houses, smiling. Shane would wear his slippers on Christmas, and Ryan didn't stop reading the magazine all through Christmas. They didn't see each other for a few days, and as school started up again it got harder to try and meet up each night, and now that those Christmas decorations were gone, the houses looked normal, almost as if that heir families didn't have Christmas Light wars.

One night, Shane had to explain a shocking truth, one that made Ryan sad. "So, I'm going to college in a few months..."

"Right, you wanna do editing." Ryan smiled, but slowly frowned, seeing Shane frowning as well, "what's wrong?"

"Ryan, I'm going away until Christmas..." Shane admitted to him, frowning.

Ryan looked down, and nodded, "right... Kinda had a feeling, big guy..."

Shane slipped a piece of paper to him, "my email address, you can email, and message me. Ryan, I want to talk to you..."

"Big guy, we're gonna talk!" Ryan assured, and smiled.

Shane smiled, and took Ryan's hand, squeezing his hand, "you promise?"

"I promise Shane..." Ryan squeezed back.

Summer was quickly approaching, and Shane was dragging his bags down to the Taxi waiting for him in front of his house. He glanced over, to see Ryan poking his head out the window. Ryan smiled and waved gently, waving a _goodbye_. Shane smiled bad, and gently wiggled his fingers, _see you soon_. Ryan kept watching, and watched Shane in the taxi drive off into the distance. And as the two promised, they emailed back and forth.

Decorations were up again that December, as if Christmas barfed up on the Madej and Bergara households. And as usual, in the Bergara households, three trees, all with multicoloured, and miss-matched lights, with old and new ornaments of different colours and shapes, angels that hung around the room, with tinsel, and too many damn mistletoe bunches hanging around, large signs greeting Santa and a large fake snowman outside, and on top of the house, a large Santa Clause. Stockings surrounded the house, and a wreath on the door, and fake, red hollies on the fire place. The Bergara's have been forced to wear a Christmas jumper everyday in December so far. The Madej had too many Christmas decorations as well, if not more, and it looks like Santa himself just barfed up. The same as last Christmas, and the Christmas before that, and the Christmas before that. But, this time, there was more decorations on both sides, and it was now Christmas holidays, which now means, Shane Madej is coming home!

Ryan subtly watched, looking out for Shane, and finally a Taxi pulled up, and Shane walked out. Shane glanced over, and saw Ryan. The two smiled, before Shane walked into his house. The day went slowly, and finally the two rushed out that night, cookies, and coco, slippers and blankets. Ryan, again, pushed the bench over and stood up on it, the two swapped food and drinks, and began talking.

"So, how's college? Got a girlfriend?" Ryan teased, grinning.

Shane chuckled, "nah, dating isn't my game right now... You got a girlfriend?" Shane grinned, teasingly.

Ryan stopped smiling, and looked down, "no... I, uh... I have a boyfriend..." He admitted, nervous, but Shane didn't bat an eye.

"Who is the lucky fella?" Shane grinned.

Ryan looked up, eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, or maybe it was the Christmas tree that the Bergara's put outside this year that lit Ryan's eyes up, "his names Brent. A sceptic, not nearly as interested as crimes as you though, can't lie..."

"You two out?" Shane asked softly, sipping his drink.

Ryan looked down, and shook his head, "you're the first I've told..."

Shane froze, and blinked, and clearly felt honoured, "I won't tell anyone, and I'm happy for you. If he ever hurts you, you tell me. Okay?"

Ryan chuckled, "will do, Shanester."

It fell silent for a few minutes, and Shane kept closing and opening his mouth, until he finally said, "I missed you..." Ryan looked over, and Shane sighed. "As much as college is great, it's not the same without you, and nobody gets along with me like we get along."

"We email still..." Ryan assured, but Shane shook his head, looking down.

"Not the same, Little Guy..."

Ryan scowled, "I'm five foot eight, and three quarters! Asshole! It's not my fault you're like a fucking Sasquatch, you six foot, tall, motherfucker!"

Shane winced playfully, "oh, you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Ryan grinned and shoved his shoulder slightly, "shut up, dude... Okay, truthfully, how stressed are you?"

"Stressed..." Shane admitted quietly, rubbing his eyes and nose, "god, I don't know how I'm gonna survive this..."

"You're Shane Madej, the coolest, and most amazing guy I know!" Ryan placed a comforting hand on Shane's shoulder, "if you need to rant, you can do."

"Yeah, but you're in high school you shouldn't be panicking and stressing about me!" Shane denied, shaking his head.

Ryan felt his heart ache, he understood where Shane was coming from, he did the same with Jake, kept his worries and stress to himself, but Shane is Shane, his best friend, "tell me..."

Shane looked to Ryan, who's eyes softened, reassuringly, and he nodded encouragingly. Shane smiled sadly, "I feel like I'm gonna explode, it's like I have the weight of the world on shoulders..." Ryan kept looking softly, so Shane continued, "it's just, Scott's doing so well in his life, and I feel like I have to live up to his 'legacy', it feels like I'm letting the family down..." Shane sniffed, and wiped his nose on his blanket, "God, I'm pathetic..."

"No, you're not..." Ryan denied, frowning. "It's normal to feel this way, and I'm always gonna be here for you..."

"I feel bad putting stress onto you, especially since I'm the older one..." Shane sighed, rubbing his eyes.

Ryan shrugged and smiled, "you didn't put stress on me... Shane, tell me these things, getting it off your chest will help."

And so, Shane did. He vented the whole night about his worries and stress, his fears, all of it. Everything was scaring him, and Ryan listened, giving advice where and when he could, but it wasn't much. Just trying to help. Ryan already knew what gift he was getting Shane, and he hoped his friend liked it.

"Have they gotten crazier then last time?" Shane asked, sipping his coco Christmas Eve night.

And Ryan groaned, munching on a cookie, "do not bring it up, please!" He clung to the poster Shane got him as it blew in the wind, the _I want to believe_ alien poster.

Shane looked to his history themed note book and pen, and smiled, "my bad... Look, if I'm honest, if this keeps up, I might leave later and later each year."

"I don't blame you..." Ryan assured, waving his hand softly.

Again Christmas came and went, and another year of contact through emails, except a lot has happened since Christmas. Brent and Ryan broke up, Shane started smoking, and now got a girlfriend, but the one that stuck with Ryan is that Shane was coming home later, as the family would drive him insane. Again, fair enough, _but leave me here to suffer? How dare you?_ Ryan had joked, not letting on that he was actually sad about it. Ryan's seventeen now, he's gotta grow up.

But, as the years went, Shane came less and less, and soon their emails sounded more like a transaction then it was friends catching up, they only time they sounded like true friends was in the garden, but even then it wasn't much. Until finally, Ryan moved out and Shane stopped visiting, business emails now no more, and they honestly never thought they'd see each other again. Ryan wouldn't lie, the sudden departure of his tall, and strange friend was upsetting but he understood.

Shane had his own life, he's older then Ryan, life at home around Christmas sucked, and he was getting too old to do the 'teenager sneaking out of the house' act. He had adult things to worry about, like a job, income, his girlfriend, and more. And, that was that.

Ryan never thought he'd be back at his old home years later, now with his own job and life. Jake was next to him, and also had his own life and job. The two swore to never come back here and Christmas, yet here they were, in hell once again. And they hated to note that the house hadn't changed. If anything it had gotten worse. Instead of three trees there was five inside and out, all with multicoloured, and miss-matched lights, with old and new ornaments of different colours and shapes, angels and now stars, hung around the room, with different coloured tinsel, and too many damn mistletoe bunches hanging around, it only seemed to double in quantity, large signs greeting Santa and a large fake snowman outside, and now reindeers, and on top of the house, a large Santa Clause. Stockings, and fake mice surrounded the house, and now multiple wreaths on the house, and fake, red hollies on the fire place, encased with lights. And now the damn mail box is covered in lights, and every single bush was lit up, and carols was on a loop, and he thinks he could see Home Alone on.

Even the Madej household had tried to keep up, yep, still feuding. Two cars pulled up outside the Madej house, and Ryan stared, seeing the Madej brothers, Scott and Shane. Jake looked over and smiled, "oh, hey! You two still do the jumper thing?" Ryan covered his mouth, seeing Shane in a hideous green jumper.

Scott smiled, "not even close, our folks asked us... Guessing the feud is still going on..."

Ryan and Shane grimaced, and glanced to each other. It wasn't blank, or one of anger, just a sad, _I missed you_ look.

Scott smirked, a morbid tone in his voice, "if it gets too much, we're gonna get drinks."

The Madej's went to their houses and the Bergara's to theirs.

"Oh Ryan! Jake!" Cried Sherry, hugging her sons, as Steven gave them a firm pat on the back.

Jake went to his room, and sighed in annoyance seeing that it was still the same. And Ryan went to his, with the exception of things he took with him, everything was still the same, including those goddamn lights and decorations. He sat on his bed, and smiled to the ceiling, his teenage days coming back to him. He spent the day hiding in his room, as did Jake, and they both only came down to eat. Night quickly approached, and Ryan got ready for bed. He took a gamble and looked out, only to see a figure sneak out from the Madej house, and like old times, looked cold.

Ryan shook his head and grabbed his blanket, and another, slipped on his slippers, and two hot coco's. He tiptoed out, and walked to the bench, he pushed it over and climbed onto the bench, he dropped the blanket down on top of his old friend, Shane. "Hey, old habits die hard..."

Shane looked up, and smiled, "hey Ry..."

"Notice you're slipper-less again." Ryan smiled, jokingly.

Shane nodded, "I know, I know... I... We fell out of contact..."

Ryan nodded, and handed over a coco, "yes we did. It what happens when you get a life..." He admired Shane, who was now taller, and now had a slight stubble, still as skinny as anything.

Shane stared at Ryan openly, and swallowed, "you... You're all muscle..."

Ryan laughed and rubbed his neck, "I stayed in a frat house. I got drunk and worked out, constantly... How's life, Shane?"

Shane laughed, "this is gonna sound so fucking cheesy, but... It's better now that you're here..."

Ryan wheezed, "holy shit you're a sap!"

"Any boyfriends?" Shane asked, smiling around the lip of the mug.

Ryan looked to Shane, "no... Any girlfriends?"

"Been dating men for the last few years, but not sure what company would hire a bisexual male..." Shane shrugged, slouching.

Ryan would probably regret this, but it might get his friend back, "you ever heard of Buzzfeed?" Shane shook his head, so Ryan continued, "they're an editing gig, and interns wet dream..." He brought out a pen and wrote down the details on Shane's arm, "I work there, and it's not the worse place I've worked..."

Shane smiled, "thanks... Can I say you're... You're really pretty tonight..."

Ryan smirked, and rested his arm on the fence, "pretty?"

"No! Handsome!" Shane changed his answer, horrified.

Ryan laughed, and waved his hand, and leaned down, kissing Shane's cheek, "I think you're pretty too, Shane. See you tomorrow night?"

Shane blinked but Ryan was already walking back to the house. Ryan grinned, and winked at Shane, "keep the blanket..." He entered the house.

Ryan spent the rest of the night and morning, curled into a ball of regret and embarrassment. No, no... That didn't happen... Please tell him he didn't say any of that yesterday... God, he hopes it's just some terrible nightmare... His day went on as normal, even as far as the ugly jumpers, and then night fell. And Ryan was terrified, his small boost of confidence from the night before, gone. He poked his head out, and watched, he saw Shane again leave through his back door, in pyjama's, wrapped in Ryan's blanket, and were those the slippers Ryan got him all those years ago?

However, Shane didn't go the the back of the yard, instead, the moment he stepped out, he turned to Ryan's house, and smiled at him, waving him down. Ryan grinned, and nodded, wrapping a blanket around him, slipping slippers on and wrapping a blanket around him. He rushed down quietly, and walked out, seeing Shane still standing where he was before.

"What are we doing?" Ryan grinned.

Shane jerked his head, "we, are gonna get a Starbucks."

"In our pyjama's?" Ryan smirked, tightening the blanket around his shoulders, fending off the biting cold air.

"Is there any other way? A walk down the cold, and snow filled street? In our pyjama's, with a Starbucks hot chocolate, and cookie?" Shane grinned, holding out his arm for Ryan.

Ryan smiled, he had almost forgotten just what an old soul Shane was. He slipped his hand in the nook of Shane's arm, "alright, lets go."

The two shared a soft smile, and walked down to the pathway, and they took a long stroll to the Twenty Four Hour Starbucks, talking. They caught up on everything, life, houses, cars, families, and Ryan went into more detail about Buzzfeed. Dating lives was one of the topics, and so was college, and sports, and history. Even unsolved crimes came up again.

"Hey, you wanna go out again? Tomorrow night?" Shane asked, now with a cookie in his pocket, and a hot chocolate in his other hand.

Ryan smiled, and sipped his hot chocolate, and a cookie in his pocket too, hand stilled tucked into Shane's arm, "I thought we was..."

"I mean, like this..." Shane clarified, nervously, and he looked around.

Ryan grinned, "you wanna get coffee again?"

"Well, yeah. What else could we do?" Shane smiled.

Ryan grinned, "fair point..."

The two continued their walk, sipping their hot chocolate, and laughing. This was like some weird teenage thing again, sneaking out, but this time, more adult because they were going out, for a coffee, talking... Ryan realised suddenly, that this was kinda like a date.

Shane smiled, once they made it home, "see you tomorrow night?"

"See you tomorrow..." Ryan smiled.

Shane smiled, and frowned, looking up, "huh... That's weird..." Ryan followed his gaze, and saw mistletoe above them, being held by Shane who continued, "wonder where that came from? Well, we can't go back on tradition."

"You old soul..." Laughed Ryan, and pulled Shane down by his collar, leaning up, and the two shared a kiss, in the snow, chocolate still on their lips, and blush coating their cheeks.

Maybe that BuzzFeed tip would actually work out well in the end? Maybe the two would start a web series together, maybe they'd get somewhat famous, maybe they'd start a new channel with their friend, maybe they move into together and get a cat, much to Ryan's disdain, and maybe, just maybe, they get into a feud with their neighbours every Halloween, to out Halloween the other. So far, Shane and Ryan are winning.

Old habits die hard, as everything exciting happens in the night.


End file.
